NASL in Hartford

[TheDoggPound]

City should have properly vetted the ownership group before signing them on to play in the XLC and also vetted their prospects of leading us to NASL. I can pretty confidently say that we won't have an NASL team if this is our ownership group.

They must of been sold a bill of goods that they would lead us to the promise land because from what I've read they haven't even stayed in contact with the NASL and SI said negotiations were "dead".

 

[DarthGrumpy]

This doesn't look good either - the major investor has spent time in jail for embezzlement and Hartford has its own issue with political shenanigans.

http://www.courant.com/community/ha...lon-stadium-investor-1007-20151006-story.html

Plus, to be honest, I think a 15K soccer stadium in Hartford for NASL is pushing it. Looks like most NASL stadiums seat between 7,500 and 10,000. I think having 3 large outdoor venues within 5 miles of each other is a huge expense and risk - Rent 40,000, NASL stadium 15,000, and the yard Goats Dunkin Donuts park at 9,000. not to mention that the old Rock Cats field (6,100) is not far away and these places also face competition for non-sporting events from XFINITY theater that has an indoor capacity of 7,500 and an outdoor capacity of 30,000.

 

[ZooCougar]

This doesn't look good either - the major investor has spent time in jail for embezzlement and Hartford has its own issue with political shenanigans.

http://www.courant.com/community/ha...lon-stadium-investor-1007-20151006-story.html

Plus, to be honest, I think a 15K soccer stadium in Hartford for NASL is pushing it. Looks like most NASL stadiums seat between 7,500 and 10,000. I think having 3 large outdoor venues within 5 miles of each other is a huge expense and risk - Rent 40,000, NASL stadium 15,000, and the yard Goats Dunkin Donuts park at 9,000. not to mention that the old Rock Cats field (6,100) is not far away and these places also face competition for non-sporting events from XFINITY theater that has an indoor capacity of 7,500 and an outdoor capacity of 30,000.

NASL and USL have done well playing in minor league baseball parks. The seating is messed up but the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Tulsa get good crowds.

 

[TheDoggPound]

So if anybody's read Twitter or the Courant supposedly the city paid 1.8M for a 5 slide power point presentation.

 

[whaler11]

Is their first player really a 35 year old who spent last season in the 9th level in England last season.

This is going to be a tremendous trainwreck. Aint nobody gonna get paid.

Well also looks like aint nobody ever gonna play.

 

[UCFBfan]

Wow....this is an unmitigated disaster. However, it's only fitting that it's happening in Hartford.....

 

[whaler11]

Wow....this is an unmitigated disaster. However, it's only fitting that it's happening in Hartford.....

They are still selling tickets which is pure gold.

When the coach is hopefully you'll play the season a few weeks prior to the opener that seems like a bad sign.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Not looking good at all...

http://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-hartford-dillon-deller-1015-20151014-story.html

Hartford has a lot of history of never being able to get anything done without a debacle or two that wastes a boatload of money. This just empathizes my belief that UConn should address its own sports facility needs (ice hockey and basketball) independent of the city of Hartford. If its good for UConn in terms of exposure, revenue, etc. to continue to play games at a renovated or new XL center, then do so. If not, then UConn should be allowed to expand Gampel or build a new dual-purpose 12,000 seat arena on campus. Let Hartford (try) fix its own problems with the XL center and not reply on UConn to save the city's caboose.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Wow....this is an unmitigated disaster. However, it's only fitting that it's happening in Hartford.....

"The cost of road work and site preparation near Dunkin' Donuts Stadium, now rising north of downtown, has exceeded $12 million under a no-bid contract the city awarded Centerplan Cos., part of the development team building the minor league ballpark.

City administrators had estimated the work could cost as much as $8 million to $10 million.

Records show that the city awarded Centerplan a no-bid contract last winter, citing a tight deadline required to complete the work."

Hartford: Was that, just another:

a) SNAFU?
b) FUBAR?
c) All of the above?

http://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-hartford-yard-goats-road-work-1016-20151015-story.html

 

[UCFBfan]

And the disaster continues....

The architect is owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.....

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-dillon-architect-unpaid-bills-20151016-story.html

And then the Hartford Development Director resigns amidst all the turmoil from this....

http://www.courant.com/community/ha...elopment-director-resigns-20151016-story.html

Just unreal....how you don't vet these folks is beyond me. A newspaper was able to find out this info yet Hartford somehow was blind to it? The whole thing really sucks because I was hoping to get some legit soccer in the area to watch and start following. (No I'm not talking about that indoor team!)

 

[FartMan69]

Not looking good at all...

http://www.courant.com/community/hartford/hc-hartford-dillon-deller-1015-20151014-story.html

Hartford has a lot of history of never being able to get anything done without a debacle or two that wastes a boatload of money. This just empathizes my belief that UConn should address its own sports facility needs (ice hockey and basketball) independent of the city of Hartford. If its good for UConn in terms of exposure, revenue, etc. to continue to play games at a renovated or new XL center, then do so. If not, then UConn should be allowed to expand Gampel or build a new dual-purpose 12,000 seat arena on campus. Let Hartford (try) fix its own problems with the XL center and not reply on UConn to save the city's caboose.

XL center is state owned, not city. The same state that has been really generous towards the school and AD. Does UConn owe Hartford anything? No but I don't think isolating the most popular athletic brand in the state from the bulk of the population and potentially ticking off politicians who've supported that brand is such a good idea. Luckily none of that will ever happen.

 

[ZooCougar]

And the disaster continues....

The architect is owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.....

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-dillon-architect-unpaid-bills-20151016-story.html

And then the Hartford Development Director resigns amidst all the turmoil from this....

http://www.courant.com/community/ha...elopment-director-resigns-20151016-story.html

Just unreal....how you don't vet these folks is beyond me. A newspaper was able to find out this info yet Hartford somehow was blind to it? The whole thing really sucks because I was hoping to get some legit soccer in the area to watch and start following. (No I'm not talking about that indoor team!)

Totally a shame and embarassing.

 

[whaler11]

http://nesoccertoday.com/?p=38880

Last paragraph FTW.

 

[UCFBfan]

Wow......

 

[DarthGrumpy]

http://nesoccertoday.com/?p=38880

Last paragraph FTW.

"Last week, the club started selling its merchandise at 50 percent off, with the online store featuring a banner that read “CLOSEOUT SALE — EVERYTHING MUST GO — NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES, ALL SALES ARE FINAL.”​

Same website as where the Hartford Patriots gear went on sale?

 

[Adios]

Not many shirts, etc, were printed. 72 of each item, all sizes included. In other words, 72 long sleeve t shirts, 72 short sleeve t shirts, etc. Long sleeve shirts look good. Get 'em while you can. Got one long sleeve shirt!

 

[Adios]

For what's worth, the club is not selling it's merchandise, the printing company is. The club is done. Had to clarify that. So support the printing company!

http://shop.hartfordcityfc.com/

Located in Hamden.

 

[whaler11]

Hopefully some of these scumbags do some jail time.

 

[outlaw]

If anyone is interested in building the support for a team here, even after this recent disaster, check out the Agents of Hale and AO Hartford. Both support groups function in Hartford now and serve to Unite & Strengthen the support for soccer here in CT.

I wish I found this thread earlier, as we have been heavily involved throughout this process.

' at the end of the storm, there's a golden sky' - here's to hoping pro soccer comes to CT.

 

[UCFBfan]

Word is that NASL is going to announce another soccer team sometime next week. Article was on ESPN FC. On phone so can't link. Ownership group supposedly has strong times to a European club I believe it said. Will be interesting to see where it will be.

Could have been Hartford if it hadn't gone south with ownership. Really sucks because everything should be getting lined up and instead it's all folding up.

 

[ct06111]

Word is that NASL is going to announce another soccer team sometime next week. Article was on ESPN FC. On phone so can't link. Ownership group supposedly has strong times to a European club I believe it said. Will be interesting to see where it will be.

Could have been Hartford if it hadn't gone south with ownership. Really sucks because everything should be getting lined up and instead it's all folding up.

http://www.espnfc.com/north-america...asl-to-unveil-new-club-next-week-commissioner

Celtic considers club in US:
http://m.bbc.com/sport/football/34632349

Get one of these foreign clubs to fund a NASL team in Hartford.
Hartford and ct residents already paid for a stadium design. Well, let's use it!
Might as well not waste the $ we already gave to these criminals. Something needs be done and with the colt national park coming, a nasl team and national park right off 91 would be amazing for our residents and tourism.

Hartford has set away 12 million for Dillion.

Bronin and Malloy should work with one of these potential NASL franchises.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

Get one of these foreign clubs to fund a NASL team in Hartford.
Bronin and Malloy should work with one of these potential NASL franchises.

Undoubtedly, Hartford's right at the top of all priority lists. SNAFU, FUBAR, etc. Unfortunately for a metro area which likely could have supported a USL or maybe an NASL team, Hartford may be poison for years.

 

[ct06111]

Public meeting.about future of Dillon Stadium
Dillon Stadium Community Meeting
Today weds 1/13/16
Hartford Public Library
500 Main St Hartford
6:00 - 8:00 pm

 

[ct06111]

http://midfieldpress.com/2016/02/16...t-that-mls-wont-part-ii-the-untapped-markets/

 

[ZooCougar]

NASL is supposedly in talks with CBS Sports to broadcast the Spring Season.

Also looking at an Expansion team in Chicago, that's actually in Chicago.